Bicycle.



No. 642,269 Patnted lan. 30, |900. S. G. SMETH.

BICYCLE.

(Application fixed. Mar. 3, 1899.)

(No Model.)

GWW

rrr STATES ATnT BICYCLE.

sPnoIFIeaTTo'N forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,269, dated January3o, 1900.

Application filed March 3, 1899. Serial No. 707,652. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 'nm/y con/067%:

Beit known that I, STEPHEN G. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Han nibal, in the county of Marion and State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bicycles; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

My invention appertains to certain improvements in bicycles, thoughequally applicable to analogous vehicles or machines.

It has for its object to guard more particularly against the pivoting`or turning of the steeringwheel sharply at right angles to the otherwheels in case of contact with an obstruction, as also to insure safetyagainst accdent to the rider and to impart a pulling action to saidwheel in contradistinction to a pushing action, as in bicycles of theordinary type, and to otherwise improve the bicycle.

It consists, primarily, of means adapted to support the steering-wheelfork or post in position, so that it will be caused to travel in an arein turning, thus guarding against suddenly pivoting or swiveling, and ofmeans adapted to impart a pulling action or power to the steering orguiding wheel, all substantially as hereinafter more fully disclosed,and specifically pointed out in the claim.

It will be understood that latitude is al lowed herein as to details, asthey may be changed without departing from the spirit of my inventionand the same yet remain intact and be protected.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the preferred embodiment ofmy invention, Figure l is a side elevation of a bicycle with the sameapplied thereto. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, parts being broken away.Fig. 3 is a detail section showing more fully the salient features of myinvention. Fig. 4.- is a cross-section of the same, taken through Fig. 2on the line et et, looking in the direction of the arrow.

In carrying out my invention I provide a bicycle-frame l in its generaloutlines the same as the ordinary forni, with the exception that thetubular portion thereof, through which the post' at the upper end of thefork passes, is removed farther back, permitting the forward endportions to slightly project, as at 1. The projections la have securedtl1erewith brackets 2, one with each projection, said brackets havingforwardly-extending integral arms 2, formed or cast integral at theirforward ends with an annular half-bearing box 3 with a pendent centralpiu 3. I also employ two other brackets et, each having an annularhalf-bearing box 4., adapted to register with the half-bearing box 3,said halfbearing box 3 having applied thereto a pe11dent ring al orprovided with a liangc, also eompassing the half-bearing box et at themeeting edges between said half bearing boxes to render the samedust-tight, said halfbearing boxes forming a box containing ballbearings4X, reducing friction. The pendent pin 3 passes through an opening inthe halfbearing box 4 and has an annular or circular groove lbintermediarily of its ends, and through opposite slots or keyways lc ofthe half bearing box Il* are inserted keys l, adapted to engage saidgroove of said pin, and thus hold the removable half-bearing box Li inplace and yet permit it to pivot or turn through said keys on the pin orpivot 3, the purpose of which will be presently apparent.

The lower half-bearing boxes of the brackets et are integrally formedwith extensions or arms 4C, terminating, preferably, in arcuate platesbrazed or otherwise suitably fixed to the steering-wheel fork or post 5,whereby said fork or post is adapted to be moved by the rider under theaction of the handlebar. With the parts thus arranged-z'. c., the pointsof connection between said fork or post and the frame so disposed that aline passing therethrough will fall in front of the steering-wheelaXle-a pulling action or power will be imparted to said wheel incontradistinetion to a pushing action, as heretofore, whereby aresecured greater facility of propulsion and increased application ofpower therefor. The primary feature or purpose of the invention,however, is, as before stated, to prevent the steering-wheel pivoting orswiveling sharply at right angles to the line of travel of the otherWheels, as heretofore experienced, in the event of the steering-Wheelcontacting with an obstruction, and thus risking the throwing of therider. The steering-wheel, with its fork, being caused to move with andat the IOD free ends of pivoted brackets, as herein, will describe,should said wheel contact with an obstruction, the arc of a circle, andthus have the effect to keep said wheel in substantial alineinent withthe line of movement or travel of the other wheels, thus preventing theliability of precipitating the rider from his seat and being thrownviolently to the ground and hurt or injured.

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is- Y In a bicycle, or like machine, the framehaving, at its forward end, brackets, each, comprising an upper fixedsection having forwardly-circling arms terminating in a halfbearing box,and a lower or pivoted swivel- STEPHEN e. SMITH.

Witnesses:

T. C. MOORE, J. A. SYDNEYA

